Cleaning attachment for type-writing machines.



No. 649,669. Patented May I5, |900.

L. MYERS.

CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOB TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application Bled Dec. 22, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheel I.

2% a@ EWCJQQMBII No. 649,669. Patented May l5, |900. L. MYERS.

CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application filed Dec. 22, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet g.

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UNTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IiO'US MYERS, OF VORCICSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLEANING ATTACHMENT FR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,669, dated May 15,1900.

Application filed December 22, 1899. Serial No. 741,265. (No modelli .To@ZZ whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS MYERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nercester, in the county of lVorcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Cleaning Attachment forType-Vriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of cleaning attachments fortype-writing machines which are designed to operate within thetypebasket to simultaneously brush out or. clean the type; and theobject of my present invention is to provide a simple, efficient, andinexpensive cleaning attachment for typewriting machines which may beretained on the machine while the same is in use and which may beemployed for efficiently brushing out or cleaning the types without theliability of springing or injuring the type-bars or otherwise affectingthe alinement of the machine.

To these ends my invention consists of the parts and combinations ofparts, as hereinaf-l te'r described, and more particularly pointed outin the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a cleaningattachment for type-writing machines constructed according to myinvention. Fig. 2 is a similar' view showing the parts in a differentrelative po sit-ion. Fig. 3 is a plan view, partially broken away; andFig. -i is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the device.

In using typewvriting machines the types are apt to become speedilylilled or clogged with dirt, and in order to produce a high grade ofwork it is necessary to exercise considerable care in keeping the typescleaned out or freed from the accumulation of dust or ink from theink-ribbon. It is a disagree able and tedious operation to brush out orclean the types of a type-writing machine by hand, and on this account anumber of different cleaning attachments or brushes have been designedfor simultaneously cleaning the types of a type-writing machine whilethe same hang down within the type -basketl rlhis invention relatesespecially to that form of cleaning attachments which employvertically-movable brushes which normally stand below the level of thetypes and may be vertically reciprocated to brush or simultaneouslyclean the types.

To remove the dirt from types quickly and efficiently', it is necessaryto employ a cleaningebrush having stitt wiry bristles. In practice,however, it has been found impracticable to employ brushes having thedesired stiffness, because if it is attempted to force a stift brush upthrough the type-basket of a type-writing machine it is apt to bend ordistort the type-bars and destroy the alinement of the machine.

The especial object of my present invention is to provide a cleaningattachment which is designed to employ a stift-bristle brush, which maybe operated without the liability of affecting or destroying thealinement of the machine.

To this end a cleaning attachment constructed according to the presentinvention com prises a vertically-movable brush and 0peratingconnections therefor arranged so that the brush will engage the typesonly while the same is moving down and will clear orbe free from thetypes while the same is moving up through the type-basket. To accomplishthis result, I preferably employ a brush which is expansible orcomprises a plurality of sections having overlapping or rabbeted edges.The sections of the brush are normally drawn together by springs, sothat the brush may be moved up through the type-basket without engagingthe types. I preferably arrange a cam to expand or separate the sectionsof the brush to bring the same into contact with the type during itsreturn or down stroke.

Referring to the drawings and in detail, a cleaning attachment fortype-writing machines constructed according to this invention may besecured to the side bar of a typewriting machine in any ordinary orpreferred manner. As herein illustrated, a bracket 10 is clamped ontothe side bar B of a type-writing machine, and removably secured in thebracket 10 is an inwardly-extending arm 1l. Mounted at the inner end ofthe inwardlyextending arm l1 is a vertically-movable frame comprising alower plate 12 andan upper or brush-carrying plate 13, said plates beingconnected by uprights or rods 1+i.

The brush 15, as illustrated most clearly in IOO . bottom plate 12 by apitman or link 23.

Figs. 3 and 4, preferably comprises four separate pieces or sectionshaving their edges overlapped or rabbeted,so that when the brush isexpanded the brush will still have a continuous surface of bristles, asillustrated in Fig. Lt. The sections of the brush 15 are secured to thebrush-carrying plate 13 by screws 17, which extend down through inclinedslots in the plate 13, as illustrated mostV clearly in Fig. 3. Thesections of the expansible brush as thus constructed are normally pulledtogether or contracted by springs 16. Y

To open out or expand the sections of the brush, I preferably employ afrustum or pyramid shaped operating piece or cam 18, cari rie'd by avertically-movable rod or pin 19. Thel rod or pin 19 extends looselythrough a hub or stop 20 of the frame. Journaled in lugs extending upfrom the arm 11 is an operating-shaft 21, which is connected to the Anoperating-crank is removably secured on the end of the shaft 21.

In the use of a cleaning attachment for typeewritingmachines as thusconstructed the brush normally stands in the position indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 4c. Vhen the operating-handle is turned, the brushwill be carried up into the type-basket. The cam 18 and its pin 19 arenot heavy enough to overcome the springs, which normally draw thebrush-sections together. During the first part of the upward movement ofthe brush, therefore, the operating-cam 18 and its pin 19 will becarried up by the brush, allowing the brush to move up past the typeWithout engaging or hitting the same. As the brush approaches the limitof its upward movement the stop on the lower end of the pin 19 willengage the under side of the hub 20, thus stopping the upward movementof the cam, soA that the same will then act to expand the brush, asindicated by full lines in Fig. 4f, the partsA assuming the positionillustrated in Fig.- 2. As the brush descends the operating piece or camwill be carried down with it until brought into engagement with the lugor stop' 20, as indicated by. dotted lines in Fig. 2. A further downwardmovement of the brush releases the expanding-cam and permits thebrush-sections to again assume their contracted or normal position.

In a double-case type-writing machine-- such, for example, as anordinary Remington machine--the typebars at the end of the type-baskethave cross-pieces which are normally substantially horizontal, so thatthe types at the end of the type-basket are all substantially the samedistance from the center, while along the sides of the type-basket thedifferent relative inclinations of the crossbars support the types atdifferent relative distances from the center of the type-basket. On thisaccount I prefer to spread out or expand the sections of mytypefcleaning brush to a greater extent widthwise than lengthwise toinsure bringing the brush into contact with all the types, and on thisaccount in some cases I contemplate making my type-cleaning brush in twosections only, although I prefer to employ a cleaning-brush made infoursections, as herein illustrated.

It is to be noted that the cleaning-brush which I have hereinillustrated is provided with bristles of a comparatively short length.By using short bristles the brush is rendered suiiciently stiff orspringy to insure an efficient cleaning of the type, and this I regardas an especially important feature of advantage in a cleaningdevice fortype-writing machinesconstructed according to my invention, "asI havefound in practice that when comparatively long-bristled brushes are useda thorough cleaning or brushing out of the type cannot be secured.

I am aware that other changes may be made in the construction of mycleaning attachment for type-writing machines by those who are skilledin the art without departing from the scope of my invention as expressedin the claims. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the formherein shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is'- 1. As an article of manufacture, a'cleaning attachment fortype-writing machines comprising a vertically-movable brush, andconnections for operating the brush so that it will engage all the typewhile moving down, but will not touch any of the type while moving up,substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a cleaning attachment for type-writingmachines com'i prising a brush, and connections for expand ing thebrush, so that it will engage the type while moving in one direction,and will not touch the type while moving in the other direction,substantially as described.

3. In a cleaning attachment for type-writing machines, the combinationof a brush, connections for vertically reciprocating said brush, a camfor expanding the brush, and a stop operating the cam so that the brushwill engage the type while moving in one direc'- tion, and will clearthe type whilel moving in the other direction ,substantially asdescribed.

4. In a cleaning attachment for type-writa ing machines, the combinationof a brush formed in sections having overlapping or rabbeted-togetheredges, and connections for operating the brush, so that it will engagethe type while moving in one direction, but will not engage the typewhile moving in the other .direction, substantially as described.

5. In a cleaning attachment for type-writing machines, the combinationof a supporting-arm, a vertically-movable frame carried thereby, a brushformed in sections movably mounted on the vertically-movable frame, acam for spreading apart or opening the brushsections, a stop forlimiting the movement of the cam, and connections for operating thevertically-movable frame', so that the brush will clear the type whenmoving in one direc- IOO IIO

tion, and will engage the type while moving in the other direction,substantially as described.

6. In a cleaning attachment for type-writing machines, the combinationof a supporting-arm Il, a vertically-movable frame comprising a bottomplate l2, nprights ll, and a top plate 13, brush-sections having screwseX- tending down through slots in the top plate, springs for normallycontracting or drawing the brush-sections together, a spreading-cam 1Scarried by a pin 19 loosely mounted in the supporting-arm, and anoperating-shaft 2l connected to vertically reciprocate the frame by alink 23, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LOUIS MYERS.

Witnesses:

PHILrP W. SOUTHGATE, LOUIS W. SoUTHGA'rE.

